Machine for slitting reinforce-strips.



W. A. BROWNRIGG.

MACHINE FOR SLITTING REINFORGE STRIPS.

1 APPLIOATION FILED APLB. 1911. Patented Aug. 15, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAFN IO-WASHINGTON. n.

W.-. A. BROWNRIGG.

MACHINE FOR SLITTING REINPORGE STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED APB.8, 1911.

1 ,0001664, Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

""LUMIIIA PLANQGRAPII CO.,WI\SIIINGTDN. I). c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. BROWNRIGG, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR SLITTING REINFORCE-STRIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 8, 1911. Serial No. 619,722.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM A. BROWN- RIGG, of Boston, in the county ofSufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Slitting Reinforce- Strips, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to a machine for preparing insolereinforcing strips of the character shown and described in the patent toThomas J. Ryan, No. 958,013, dated May 17, 1910. In that patent areinforcing device for leather insoles is described, which consists of astrip of fabric substantially equal in width to the narrowest partof theinsole, but of less width than the widest part of the sole, which isslit at the parts which lie against the wider parts of the sole andspread where slit to bring the edges of such parts to the channel lip orstitch-receiving rib of the sole.

My object in making the present invention has been to provide a machinecapable of slitting reinforcing strips of this character throughdistances commensurate with the wide portions of the insoles to whichthe strips are to be applied, and automatically governing the length ofthe slits in proportion to the lengths and widths of the insoles towhich they are respectively to be applied.

In the preferred mode of carrying my invention into effect, I providemeans for periodically slitting a continuous strip of fabric which issubsequently to be cut into pieces, and a means for cont-rolling thelengths of the slits in exact proportion to the longitudinal extent ofthe wide parts of the several insoles to which the pieces cut from thestrip are designed to be applied.

I have illustrated one possible embodiment of the invention on aconcrete machine in the accompanying drawings, and have described thisembodiment in detail in the following specification.

I desire it to be understood that I do not intend to limit the scope ofthe invention to the specific machine herein shown and described, sincethe essential principles of the invention may be equally well employedin many diverse constructions and combinations.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure1 represents a longitudinalsectional view of a machine embodying the principles of my invention.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the carrier for the insole which is used tocontrol the lengths of the slits. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a strip offabric which has been slitted-by this machine prior to the subdivisionof the same into lengths suitable for individual reinforcing pieces.Fig. 4 is a plan view in an enlarged scale of the elements by which aninsole controls the lengths of the slits. Fig. 5 is an under plan viewof the same. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 7 is a plan viewof a single reinforcing piece after the same has been cut from thestrip. Fig. 8 is a plan view illustrating the manner in which theslitted reinforcing piece is spread to fitthe insole. Fig. 9 is asectional plan view of a detail of the means by which the insolecontrols the slitting mechanism. Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view onan enlarged scale of the elements shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 11 is adiagrammatic view of the electric circuit by which the operation of theslitter is controlled.

' Similar reference characters indicate the same parts wherever theyoccur.

Referring to Fig. 1 wherein so much of the machine as is material to anunderstanding of the present invention is shown, the character 1represents part of a bed supported by legs 2, 3, and supporting a frame4: which carries a table 5. I have not shown either the entire table,all of the frame, which supports the table, nor all of the supports ofthe bed 1, for the reason that these parts may be constructed in any waysuitable to the purposes of the user of the invention, and theircomplete illustration in detail is not essential to an understanding ofthe principles of the invention.

A fabric strip 6 from which reinforcing pieces are to be cut is led fromthe roll 7 between a pair of guide rolls 8, 9, over a slitting knife 10,and between feed rolls 11, 12. The upper rolls 9 and 12 of each pair aremounted movably in guides 13 and 14 respectively, and are pressedagainst the strip by adjustable springs 15 and 16. The function of therolls 8 and 9 is to hold the strip close to the table while the functionof they feed rolls 11 and 12 is to draw the strip from the supply roll 7past the slitting knife. Any sort of brake or tension device 17 may beprovided to bear against the supply roll 7 to maintain a tension in thestrip.

The slitting knife is mounted upon a carrier or plunger 18 movable in aguide 19. The movement of the carrier is such that Patented Aug. 15,1911.

, strip 'whe'nthe slide returns.

the knife may be either projected above the the same.

20 which is connected to the carrier and to the guide or framesubstantially as shown in Fig. 1. A lever 21 mounted pivotally upon abracket 22 has an arm 23 passing through an opening 24 in the guide 19into engagement with the carrier 18. The other arm of the lever isconnected to the core '25 of a solenoid 26 which, when madeoperative byan electric current, acts to withdraw 'the core 25 and project the knifecarrier. The guide, bracket and solenoid are mounted upona platform 27which forms part ofthe frame 4.

The bed 1 is composed in part"o-f guide ways 28 in which travels a slideor moving table 29,carrying an insole 30 which serves as a pattern tocontrol the action of the slitting knife. The slide alsocarries meansfor operating the feed rolls to advancethe strip. Such means consist ofa rack 31 which in the advance of 'theslid'e engages the teeth of apinion 32 which is mounted loosely upon the shaft 33 and carries thepawl 34 arranged to engage a ratchet 35 which is secured to the shaft.Also secured to the "shaft is a sprocket wheel around which passes achain 36. The chain also passes around and engages a sprocket 37 on theshaft of the feed roll 11. Thus the feed roll is operated to advance thestrip whenever the slide 29 is moved from right to left as shown'on Fig.1, whileit remains stationary without 'either advancing or retractingthe Through the connections described, whenever the slide 29 isreciprocated, a length of the strip sufficient to form a reinforcingpiece for'the insole carried by the slide is drawn from'the supply'roll. At the 'Sametime those parts of the strip which are subsequentlyto be spread apart at the wider portions of the in'sole'are slitted bythe knife 10 under the control of the insole itself.

For accomplishing the result last named, I provide a pair of switcheswhich are operated by the insoleto open and close the circuit ofthesolenoid 26 and thereby cause intermittent operation of the slittingknife.

These switches consistoflevers 88 (shown opposite edges of the innersol'e'by springs- 44,and as the irregular contours ofthe solep'assbetween the rolls 42 of the'two levers the latter are causedtoswing back and forth. The function of the rolls 43 is to prevent theedges of the inner sole from being curled up by the pressure exerted bythe springs 44, particularly when the stock of which the insole is madeis thin and flexible. The levers 38 carry switch contact members 45pressing yieldingly against the under side of the plate 46 which issupported by the bridge 40 and is somewhat separated therefrom. As hereshown the switch members 45 are rolls carried by holders 47, each holderbeing provided with a'sh'ank 48-contained in a socket in oneo f thestuds 41 and pressed toward the plate 46 by a'sp'ri-ng 49. A stud 50whichacts as a key'or feather projects into a groove int he shank 48 toprevent the holder 47 from turning. Set into the under surfaceo ftheplate 46 are switch contact pieces 51 which are insulated from eachother and from the bridge 40 and levers These contact plates 51 are inelectrical engagement with binding posts52, and the levers 38 aresimilarly connected with binding posts 53. These two sets of bindingposts are connected respectively with the terminals of the solenoidwinding'a nd with the terminals of a battery circuit, or the circuit ofany other source of'electric energy. As appears from the diagrammaticview in Fig. 11, the terminals a and?) of the solenoid winding areconnected with the binding posts of the contact pieces 51, while thesource'of electric energy which is'here shown as a battery 0, has itsoppositepoles connected by the wires (Z and 0 with the binding posts ofthe two switch levers 38res'pectively. This precise arrangement ofcircuits is not essential to my invention, but =maybereversed withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof. I p

The arrangement of the switches is such that when the narrow parts ofthe insole lie between the studs of the swi ch levers, suchswitch'levers are out of connection with the contact strips, as shown inFigs. 4, 5, and 11, but when-the wide/parts of the sole'pass-between thestuds, the contact disks 45 of the switch levers make electricalconnection with the members 51, and complete the circuit between thebattery and the solenoid. Thus when-the wide partsof'thesole passbetween the switches, the solenoid isenergized and the slittin-gknife ismade operative to cut the strip while-at othertimes the knife iswithdrawnand the strip passes without being out.

The result of a series of operations is shown in Fig. 3 where-the stripis shown with shortslits 55 alternating regularlywith long slots 56.Each short slit is formed while the heel part of an insole passesbetweenthe switch members, while each long slitisformedwhilethe'fore-part of thesole thus passes between the switchmembers.

The uncut "portion 57 between a short an'd a long slit passes the knifewhile the shank portion of the insole is between the switch members andthe slitting knife is withdrawn into the inoperative position. The uncutpart 58 between each long slit and the next succeeding short slit isleft intact by reason of the narrow toe-part passing the movable switchmembers and allowing them to pass out of contact with the stationarycontact pieces. The strip is subsequently cut approximately at thepoints indicated by the arrows shown in Fig. 3 to form separatereinforcing blanks as shown in Fig. 7. hen such a blank is applied to aninsole, the slits allow its sides to be spread out somewhat as shown inFig. 8, whereby outer edges may be tucked into the inside channels ofthe sole and laid against the channel lips. The edges of the reinforcingpiece are trimmed off as described in the patent above referred to.

It will be observed from Fig. 8 that the reinforcing piece is shorterthan the insole, being only as long approximately as the channel lipsand not extending as far as the heel end of the sole. In order that thestrip may not be fed more than enough at each operation to provide ablank of the necessary length, provision is made for lost motion of thesole carrying slide or carriage relatively to thestrip feedingmechanism. As appears from Fig. 1, the rack 31 is out of engagement ofthe pinion 32 when the slide 29 is at the beginning of its travel and itdoes not engage the pinion until the part of the sole at which thechannel lips begin is between the movable switch members. At this point,the feed of the strip commences and it continues to the end of thetravel of the carriage. Thus only a suflicient length of the strip isfed at each operation to make a reinforcing blank of the proper lengthwithout waste. It is desir able also to vary the amount of this lostmotion in accordance with the soles of different lengths, in order tomake allowance for the difference in soles of different lengths, of thedistance from the heel end to the end of the stitch-receiving ribs. Thisdistance is greater in large soles than small ones, and to makeallowance for it insures proper timing of the strip feed to place theslits in the right places to accommodate the wide parts of thesedifferent soles. To accomplish this object I make the rack 31 adjustableon the carriage because the travel of the latter is the same under allconditions. The carriage is operated by a cam 59 carried by a rotatingshaft 60 and having a groove 61. which contains a roll 62, carried by alever 63, which lever is connected by a link 6 1 with the slide. Therack is connected to the carriage by pins or rods on the carriage whichpass through slots 66. A graduated tongue 67 is secured to the rack andoccupies a groove in the surface of the passage and is in such aposition that the sole may lie over it. Soles of all lengths arepositioned on the carriage by reference to a gage 68 against which theheel end of the sole is placed. Its toe-end overlies the graduatedtongue 67 which bears numbers corresponding to the length sizes of thesoles. In adjusting the rack for a certain size of sole, the rack isplaced so that the number on its scale corresponding to the size of thesole lies opposite to an index mark 69 on the carriage. In this way therack may be adjusted to allow greater or less lost motion of thecarriage before it actuates the strip feed according as the distancebetween the heel end of a sole and the points where the stitch receivingribs begin is greater or less, and such lost motion is governed by thelength of the sole which serves as the pattern for controlling thedevices which operate the sliding knife.

It is necessary to provide means to hold the sole upon the carriage andfor this purpose I provide a clamping foot 70 which is secured to ablock 71 on the carriage and is pressed toward the surface of the latterwith a strong yielding pressure. .Preferably the foot is formed on theend of a strip 72 of stiff spring metal, of which its own resiliencygives the desired spring pressure.

Between the spring strip 72 and the slide 29 ing foot to bear againstanother inner sole 2 which has meanwhile been laid upon the carriage.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that my invention comprises ameans for slitting reinforcing pieces for insoles in which the insole towhich the reinforcing strip is to be applied, or a pattern of the sameform and size, constitutes the pattern by which the length of the slitsand their position with respect to the longitudinal dimensions of thereinforcing piece are gaged.

I claim 1 A machine for slitting insole reinforces, comprising aslitter, means for producing a relative feed movement between thereinforce and slitter, and means controlled by the insole for which thereinforce is intended. for causing said slitter to enter and withdrawfrom the reinforce.

2. A machine for slitting insole reinforces,- comprising a slitter,means for producing a relative feed movement between the rein-' plied tothe Wide part of the sole and to remain therein during an extent of suchfeed vmovement equal to the length :of the wide part of the sole.

3. A machine for slitting insole reinforcing strips, comprising aslitter, means for producing a relative feed movement between theslitter and strip, means for causing the slitter to enter and withdrawfrom the strip, and a pattern in the form-of a sole arranged to controlsaid slitter-operating means.

4. A machine for slitting insole reinforcing strips, comprisinga cutter,a pattern in the form of an insole to which the strip is to be applied,devices controlled by the pattern for causing the cutterto become 0erative upon those parts of the strip whici are tov lie against the wideparts of the insole, and means for producing relative feed movementssimultaneously between the strip and cutter, and between the pattern andsaid devices.

5. A machine for slitting insole reinforcing strips, comprising aslitter, electro-magnetic means for causing the slitter to extend intothe strip, a pattern in the form of an insole, a switch operated by saidpattern for causing the electro-magnetic means to become operative andinoperative, and means for producing relative feed movementssimultaneously between the strip and slitter, and between the patternand switch.

6. An apparatus for slitting a reinforcing strip, comprising a cutter, apattern in the form of an insoleto which the strip is to be applied, andmeans controlledby the pattern for causing said cutter to cut the striplongitudinally at those parts only which are to be applied to the widerparts of the insole.

7. An apparatus for slitting a reinforcing strip, comprising a slitter,a holder for a pattern in the form of an insole, means operable to bringthe slitter intoand out .of the strip,'control devices for said meansoperable by a pattern held by said holder, and means for producingsimultaneous continuing feed movement between the strip and slitter andbetween the insole holder .and control de vices respectively, .wherebythe slit is produced by relative movement occurring while the slitter isin the strip.

8. An apparatus for slitting a reinforcing strip, comprising a slitter,means for holding the strip adjacent to, and carrying it past, theslitter, an insole carrier, means for securing aninsole thereon,andmeans controlled by the insole forprojecting the slitter into thestrip and withdrawing it there'- from, said means including a movabledevice engaged with and movable by the edge of the insole, so arrangedas to cause projection of the slitter into the strip when the wide partof the insole actson said device.

9. An apparatus for making discontinuous slits in a strip, comprisingmechanism arranged to advance a strip lengthwise, a cutter past whichthe strip is drawn, mounted with provision for moving into and out ofthe strip during the advance of the latter, a pattern movablesimultaneously with the strip, and means controlled by the pattern forso moving the cutter.

10. An apparatus for slitting an insolereinforcing strip, comprising aslitting .cutter, a strip feeder located to advance the strip past andin close proximity to the cut-- ter, ,electromagnetic means for causingprojection and retraction of the cutter, a switch in the circuit of said.electro magnetic means, and a pattern in the form of a sole movablesimultaneously with the strip and arranged to actuate said switch by itsedge and thereby make and break the circuit during the movement ofitself and of the strip, whereby the cutter is held in the strip whilecertain parts of the pattern pass the switch.

11. A machine of the character indicated, comprising in combination, acarriage on which a sole may be held, mechanism for moving saidcarriage, strip feeding means operable together with said carriage, acutter movably mounted with provision for being projected into andwithdrawn from the strip, devices arranged ,to make contact with a soleheld on the carriage and to be moved by the contours thereof, and meanscontrolled by said devices for projecting and retracting the cutter.

'12. In a machine of the character described, aslitting knife,pattern-controlled means for making said knife operative, a

carriage adapted to hold a pattern, means 7 for moving said carriage andtherewith the pattern to cause operation of the knife, a strip feedingmeans arranged to advance a strip in a path such as toengage the knifewhen the latter is operative,vand connecting mechanism through which themovement of said carriagecauses the strip-feeding means tobe actuated.

13. In a machine of the character described a slitting knife,pattern-controlled means for making said knife operative, a carriageadapted to holdapattern for controllingsaidaneans,,means for moving saidcarriage, strip-feeding means arranged to feed a strip in a path suchthat it is cut by theknife whenthe latteris operative, and lost motionconnections thrQUgh which the carriage, ,in .each cycle of itsmovements, actuates said strip-feeding means intermittently .toadvancethe strip through a less distance than that through which the carriageis moved,

.14. In a machine of the, character described, a slitting knife, meansfor rendering said knife temporarily operative under control of apattern, a carriage adapted to hold a pattern sole, means for movingsaid carriage, strip-feeding means arranged to advance the strip pastthe knife in such a location that it is intersected by the knife whenthe latter is operative, lost motion connections through which thecarriage, in each cycle of its movements, actuates said strip-feedingmeans intermittently to advance the strip through a less distance thanthat through which the carriage is moved, and provisions for adjustingsaid connections to vary the amount of such lost motion in accordancewith the lengths of different soles.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses.

WILLIAM A. BROWNRIGG.

Witnesses:

A. H. BROWN, P. W. PEZZETTI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

